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With her father and beloved mentor, Ralph, suffering from terminal cancer, LSU star pitcher Rachele Fico is grateful for every day they have together.

Opening Day for baseball coincided with the unofficial start of the 2013 National Pro Fastpitch season. The professional softball league's four teams won't play their first games until June 5, but the college draft starts to bring the rosters into focus.

The first four picks in the National Pro Fastpitch softball college draft were pitchers.

National Pro Fastpitch's season ended as an ugly, soggy shambles, fingers raised not skyward to celebrate a championship but instead pointed accusingly in every direction.

The National Pro Fastpitch season ended without a champion for the first time in the league's nine-year history because of weather delays and what the league cited as scheduling conflicts for players on both teams.

Monica Abbott was her usual brilliant self in the pitcher's circle for Chicago on Saturday. But it was the Bandits' catcher, Shannon Doepking, who was the star in the opener of the NPF championship series.

The Akron Racers beat the USSSA Pride 8-7 in the National Pro Fastpitch playoffs to force a Saturday Game 3 in their series.

Kristen Butler found her missing stroke. Her long home run sparked the defending-champion Bandits to a romp in their NPF playoff opener.

The four NPF teams are set for their playoff tournament this weekend in Chicago. Here is all you need to know about the teams and players battling for the title.

Lisa Modglin of the NPF's Akron Racers has found a way to juggle her career as an accountant with her passion for softball.

Now that she's learned to ignore bad breaks, Bandits pitcher Monica Abbott is even tougher to hit.

Chicago Bandits lose to Akron Racers because of errors again.

The Chicago Bandits lost to the Akron Racers 3-0 on Saturday night in Elgin, Ill.

Crystl Bustos's big bat helps Akron.

Caitlin Lever hit a grand slam and drove in six runs in the Chicago Bandits' 10-6 victory over the Akron Racers.

Canney picks up eighth win for Bandits.